Adjustable drive assemblies for textile coilers



Jan. 7, 1969 Y a. w. GOSSETT 3,420,117

ADJUSTABLE DRIVE ASSEMBLIES FOR TEXTILE COILERS Filed July 25, 1967 E 5I BRY AmWGossn;

United States Patent Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A drive assemblyfor textile coilers wherein the assembly is mounted for adjustmentlongitudinally and transversely of the coiler column and in spacedrelation to the latter.

This invention relates to drive assemblies for textile coilers and moreparticularly to a novel manner of adjustably mounting the assembly sothat it may be more quickly and efiiciently connected to the powertake-01f of auxiliary textile units such as carding engines, drawframes, combers, and the like.

Heretofore, drive assemblies of the type mentioned above have beenmounted for adjustment longitudinally and transversely of coiler columnsby means of two interfacial connections extending respectively parallelto and transversely of the column axis (see Patent No. 2,891,- 412).Although this type of mounting has met with public acceptance, it hasproven quite expensive to manufacture on account of the necessity ofaccurately machining the interfaces. Moreover, such conventionalassemblies have become even more expensive and impractical asreplacement parts on installed coilers since re-grinding of theconnecting interfaces is often required to suit varied mill conditions.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an adjustablecoiler drive assembly constructed and arranged to overcome theabove-mentioned drawbacks.

It is another object of invention to provide a coiler drive assemblymounted for adjustment longitudinally and transversely of the coilercolumn and in spaced relation to the latter by means of oppositelyacting tension and compression elements.

It is another object of invention to provide a coiler drive assemblywhich is universally adjustable relative to the coiler column orpedestal.

Some of the objects of invention having been stated, other objects willappear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which,

FIGURE 1 is an elevation of the intermediate portion of a coiler columnwith a drive assembly mounted thereon in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional plan view taken along line 33 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional plan view similar to FIGURE 3, showing amodified form of mounting means for the assembly, and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional plan view similar to FIGURE 4, showing anothermodified form of assembly mounting means.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral denotes theintermediate portion of a textile coiler column or pedestal having alongitudinally disposed recess 11 therein in which a drive shaft 12 ismounted. A side opening 13 in the column communicates with the recess11, said opening having vertically disposed slots 14 in its opposededges. The above opening and slots cooperate with other elements ashereinafter described to universally mount a drive assembly 15 relativeto and upon the column 10.

The drive assembly comprises a second drive shaft 17 which extendstransversely of shaft 12 and through the side opening 13, said shaftsbeing drivably connected by suitable means such as bevelled gears 20 and21 adjustably mounted on shafts 18 and 19 by set screws 22 and 23respectively. The shaft 12 is rotatably supported by a bracket 25 bymeans such as bearings 26 and 27. Similarly, the transverse shaft 17 isrotatably supported in the bracket 25 by bearings 28 and 29.

It will be observed that the assembly 15, when detached from column 10,has limited bodily rotation about vertical shaft 12, at which time, thetransverse shaft 17 swings horizontally and at a fixed angle relative tothe shaft 12. A proper installation requires the assembly to be securelyanchored to column 10 so that this rotation will be prevented.Furthermore, the assembly must be secured to the column at such anelevation and in such position to cause the shaft 17 to precisely alignwith the power take-01f shaft (not shown) of an auxiliary textile unit;hence, the necessity of three dimensional or universal adjustment means.

In conventional drive assemblies, adjustments as to positions relativeto the column and the vertical drive shaft therein are dependent upontwo or more interfacial connections. These connections may compriseplanar or curved coinciding surfaces, or both, but must be sufficientlyprecise to prevent lateral stresses in shafts corresponding to thereference numerals 12 and 17 in the present disclosure.

The present invention supports the assembly 15 upon, but in spacedrelation to, the column 10 and therefore eliminates interfacialadjustment connections. Assembly bracket 25 is secured to the inside ofcolumn 10 by individually adjustable and oppositely acting tension andcompression elements or screws 32 and 33 respectively (FIG- URES 1-3)whereby a vertical space 34 is provided between the proximate faces ofmembers 10 and 25. Each tension element 32 penetrates a vertical slot 14and is threadably secured in bracket 25; and each oppositely actingcompression element 33 is threadably secured in column 10 and abuts thebracket.

By manipulating the tension and compression screws or bolts 32 and 33,the assembly may be adjusted to fixed positions relative to column 10 inany direction, that is, universal take-up or expansion of space 34 toprecisely anchor the assembly relative to the column 10, the verticaldrive shaft 12 and the power take-off shaft (not shown) to be coupled toshaft 17. Such precise adjustments may be made regardless of whether theproximate faces of members 12 and 25 are parallel, or angularlydisposed, or rough or machined.

FIGURE 4- shows a modified form of the invention in which the assemblybracket 25a extends through column side opening 13a. Bracket 25a isadjustably anchored by threadably mounting compression elements 33 inthe bracket with the ends thereof abutting the outer face of the column;and further, by tension elements 32 threadably mounted in the column andpenetrating bracket slots 14a.

FIGURE 5 shows another modified form in which assembly bracket 25b isadjustably mounted by compression elements 33 threadably penetrating thebracket and abutting the inside face of the column; and by tensionelements 32 penetrating bracket slots 14b and threadably engaging thecolumn.

It will be observed in FIGURES 2 and 3 that the bracket 25 forms alubrication compartment 24 enclosing bevelled gears 20 and 21, saidcompartment being pro vided with an access cover 24a removably securedin position by stud bolts 24b.

In the drawings and specification there have been set forth preferredembodiments of the invention, and although specific terms are employed,these are used in a generic sense and not for purposes of limitation,the scope of invention being defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a textile coile-r having a hollow column memberwith a side opening therein, and a drive shaft extending longitudinallywithin said member, a drive assembly comprising a second drive shaftextending transversely of said member and through said opening, a gearmounted on and adjustable longitudinally of said first shaft, a secondgear meshing with said first gear and mounted on said second shaft, abracket member adjustable longitudinally of said first shaft andsupporting said gears and said second shaft, and means for universallymounting said bracket member relative to said column member.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said universallymounting means includes adjustable tensioned elements for urging saidmembers toward one another, and adjustable compression elements forresisting said tensioned elements.

3. The combination as defined in claim 2 wherein said compressionelements includes a bolt threadably engaging one of said members andabutting the other of the members, and wherein said tensioned elementsincludes a second bolt threadably engaging said member disposed oppositesaid threadably engaged member and abutting the other member.

4. The combination as defined in claim 2 wherein said compression andtensioned elements support said bracket member in spaced relation tosaid column member.

5. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said bracket memberincludes a lubrication compartment enclosing said first and secondgears.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 925,652 6/1909 Rippy 74-4172,891,412 6/ 1959 Jackson 74-423 3,085,497 4/1963 Statia 74-423 X DONLEYJ. STOCKING, Primary Examiner.

LEONARD H. GERIN, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 74--1 1, 606

